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Instinctively, he wanted to lean in and kiss her. He did lean in, but not enough, and she didn’t close the space between them. Her mouth looked delicious, but the last thing Wesley wanted to do was take advantage of her. Not when it was his job to protect her.

He cleared his throat and said, “We should probably get going. It’ll be dark on the way back.”

“Oh, no.” She stood and wobbled on the spot, but Wesley caught and steadied her. “Are we going to be okay?”

“We’ll be fine,” he said. “I know these trails really well. I’ve walked them in the dark before. You’ll be safe with me.”

She was digging around in her backpack. “I don’t see a flashlight. I wonder if I have enough battery to use my phone.”

Wesley put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. “It’s not really advisable to use a flashlight if you’re night hiking. It ruins your night vision. Just let your eyes adjust as it gets dark. You’ll see better than if you had a flashlight. Seriously, princess, I won’t let anything happen to you. You can even ride on my back if you get too tired.”

It was true, and not just because he was being paid to keep her safe. He really had grown to care about her. Even if it wasn’t his job, he knew he would do whatever it took to protect her.

CHAPTER10

LAUREN

Because Wesley had the morning off, Lauren’s mom had asked Lauren to spend the day with her. She’d said it was because they needed a mother-daughter bonding day, but Lauren knew it was probably just so they could share security.

The fact that her mom had gotten so paranoid was more than a little troubling, but Lauren didn’t have the first clue what to do about it. She didn’t even know whether it was warranted. Was her mom just overestimating the danger in her new position, or was she right? Lauren had no idea, but she went along because that was what she always did and that was what she knew.

They got coffee and croissants in the morning at a little place on the water. Lauren had no idea what to say to her mom, so she just spread jam on her croissant extra slowly. Finally, she came out and said, “What exactly are we doing today?”

Her mom smiled. “I was thinking we could do some shopping and brunch.”

“But nothing in the evening?” Lauren asked.

“Well…” Her mom shrugged.

“Of course,” Lauren said bitterly. She had already guessed the answer. Wesley was back on the clock this evening, so her mom would be free of her. “I knew this was really about security.”

Anne glared across the table at her daughter. “We could do without the attitude, Lauren. It’s childish”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “If you don’t want me to act like a child, then stop treating me like one.”

“Giving you extra security is not treating you like a child.”

“No, it’s treating me like some kind of asset.”

Anne slapped a hand on the table. “It’s treating you like a person I love and care about, Lauren, someone whose safety matters to me. Why are you so negative? I just wanted to spend some time with my daughter, and you’re already deciding I have ulterior motives.”

She looked so sad when she said that, Lauren actually felt a little bad about having made assumptions. What if she was wrong? What if this really was meant to be a mother-daughter bonding day, and Lauren was out here just ruining it?

Lauren collected her patience and took her last sip of coffee. “Okay, I see your point. I’m sorry, Mom. It’s just been… a stressful week. I don’t know.”

Anne reached across the table to pat her hand. “I understand,” she said. “Far be it from me to deny the effect high stress can have on a person. Come on, Lauren. Let’s do some retail therapy, huh? It’s all on me.”

Lauren stood and followed her mom to the car. Maybe the day would be good for both of them, after all — no matter what had really prompted it.

They went to her mom’s favorite department store, a swanky place Lauren never had enough cash for. Anne picked out several formal outfits for her daughter to try on. It did occur to Lauren that, once again, the nature of their outing revolved around Anne Bartlett and her needs. The outfits were ones she wanted her daughter to wear to political events in the future. Everything was always about how their family looked to the outside world, and that hurt Lauren over and over again, however hard she tried to not take it personally. It really did feel like she was an object for her mom to dress up and display. But Lauren tried to put the feeling aside and just enjoy the time she got to spend with her mom.

“Oh, that one looks just perfect on you!” Anne exclaimed when Lauren came out of the dressing room wearing a cream-colored dress she had picked out for her. “Maybe too light for a dinner, but wouldn’t it just shine at a speaking event?” She smiled broadly and leaned in to kiss her daughter. “You look just like an angel,” she whispered. “That’s what I’ve always said.”

“Thanks, Mom.” The dress looked like nothing Lauren would be caught dead wearing in her worst nightmares, but what could she do? It was chosen by her mom, bought by her mom, and worn as part of the image her mom wanted to portray to the rest of the world. Lauren was an important part of that image. “I look forward to wearing it,” she lied.

They went to several more department stores, and Lauren tried on several more outfits chosen for her by her mom. The discussion generally focused on Anne Bartlett’s plans for the future, how she’d like her daughter to contribute to those plans.

Lauren talked herself into giving her mom the benefit of the doubt. For example, maybe focusing on her own career was the only way Anne knew to connect with other people. Maybe that was why she wanted Lauren involved so badly. What if this was the only way she knew how to bond? Anne’s life hadn’t been easy after Lauren’s father left, that was no secret. And while Lauren was busy going through her teenage rebellion, Anne had been struggling alone.

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